Method and apparatus for drill position management

ABSTRACT

The invention is of a method and a system for drill position management wherein a drilling unit is mounted on a vehicle through a system of attachment to a frame assembly and position control through the movement of the drilling unit along a track system by the application of a controlled motivating force.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of The Invention

[0002] The present invention relates in general to improved methods fordrilling holes. In particular, the present invention relates to improvedmethods for drilling holes with drilling units attached to vehicles.Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method andapparatus for managing drill position relative to a hole being drilledby a drill unit attached to a vehicle.

[0003] 2. Background Information

[0004] Means for drilling holes, particularly in the earth, serve a vastvariety of purposes. Particularly in agricultural and constructionapplications, these drilling needs are often met through the attachmentof a drill (auger) unit to a vehicle. It is very common, for the sake ofconvenience, for persons involved in drilling, often in drillingancillary to operations such as the construction of a small structure ora fence, to attach a drilling unit to a vehicle such as a tractor, anearth mover, or front-end loader. Attachment to such a wheeled ortracked vehicle facilitates ease of transportation of drillingequipment, and provides a source of power to the equipment. Attachmentto such a vehicle also provides a familiar platform for aligning thedrilling unit over the location where a hole is desired, because theoperator of the drill is frequently a person extremely familiar with theoperation of the vehicle to which it is attached. These advantages tothe use of drilling units attached to vehicles have made them a verycommon sight in the context of activities where drilling is performed.

[0005] Unfortunately, the attachment of drilling units to vehiclespresents a series of problems that substantially complicate the processof drilling a hole. Particularly in the context of a drill attached toan earth mover, the substantial advantages of attachment to earth movingequipment for ease of transporting, providing power to, and aligning thedrilling unit prior to drilling are often offset by the frustrations ofmaintaining proper drill (auger) alignment during the act of drilling.This problem is illustrated in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

[0006]FIG. 3 illustrates a simplified schematic of a system of equipmentused for drilling a hole with a drilling unit attached to a wheeledvehicle in accordance with the prior art. A wheeled vehicle, in thiscase a simplified schematic an tractor or earth mover with a front-endloader assembly 300, is moved into position near the proposed holelocation 302. In order to perform the drilling, a drill motor, 304, isrotatably attached to the bucket 306 of the earth mover 300 by means ofa freely-rotating joint 308. In order to place the drill bit 310directly over the proposed hole location 308, and flush with the ground312, into which drilling is being performed, the height 305 of thebucket 306 is adjusted by means of lowering or raising the bucket-arm314 of the earth mover 300. The bucket arm 314 will generally be of afixed length.

[0007] A continual source of frustration arises as the drill bit 310sinks into the ground 312. Clearly, as the as the drill bit 310 sinksinto the ground 312, it will be necessary to lower the drill motor 304in order to facilitate continued digging. This is accomplished byreducing the height 305 of the bucket over the ground.

[0008] Because the bucket arm 314 will generally be of a fixed length,the bucket 306 and drill motor 308 travel an arc 316 constructed as asection of a circle defined by the assumption of a center point at thepoint of rotational attachment 318 of the bucket arm 314 a radius equalto the fixed length of the bucket arm 314. It is a matter of simpletrigonometry to realize that, as the bucket 306 and drill motor 308travel the arc 316, the lateral distance 320 between the drill motor andthe point of rotational attachment 318 of the bucket arm 314 of thebucket arm will change.

[0009]FIG. 4 displays a simplified schematic the problem created by asystem of equipment used for drilling a hole with a drilling unitattached to a wheeled vehicle in accordance with the prior art.Specifically, as the height 305 of the bucket 306 and drill motor 308 isreduced to facilitate further drilling, an angle 400 is created betweenthe original drill bit orientation 402 and the drill bit 310. Thisresults in the drill bit 310 cutting an angled hole in the ground, whichis frequently an unacceptable result.

[0010] In order to keep the hole oriented in its original orientation,the earth mover 300 is frequently moved by a small lateral movement to anew location relative to the proposed hole location 308. While, if donecorrectly, this technique does allow the maintenance of a correctorientation for the resulting hole, several problems render thistechnique unsatisfactory in many contexts. First and foremost, thistechnique requires fairly precise control of the location of the earthmover 300 during drilling, a difficult proposition in the context ofoperating a piece of equipment weighing more than 1000 pounds.

[0011] Because of the difficulty of performing precise movements of theearth mover 300 to maintain the orientation of the hole, the level ofoperator skill that is required is frequently unavailable. Mistakes inperforming movements of the earth mover can (and often do) result inmis-oriented holes and broken or bent drill bits. The former adds timecost through repetition as a new hole must be drilled. The latter adsequipment cost and can stop work entirely while a new drill bit issecured. Neither is acceptable, and both occur with a disquieting andcostly frequency. Finally, the need to keep the machine in gear duringthe performance of drilling also adds wear to the transmission of theearth mover 300, which increases the cost of hole drilling over the longterm.

[0012] What is needed is an improved method and apparatus for drillposition management that will preserve the orientation of the drill bitwhile eliminating the need to move the vehicle, to which the drillingunit is attached.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvedmethod for drilling holes.

[0014] It is another object of the present invention to provide animproved methods for drilling holes with drilling units attached tovehicles, which, because of the reduction in he skill necessary to drilla hole with a drill unit attached to a vehicle, will provide abeneficial reduction in the cost and inconvenience of hole drilling Itis another object of the present invention to provide an improved methodand apparatus for managing drill position relative to a hole beingdrilled by a drill unit attached to a vehicle.

[0015] The invention is of a method and a system for drill positionmanagement wherein a drilling unit is mounted on a vehicle through asystem of attachment to a frame assembly and position control throughthe movement of the drilling unit along a track system by theapplication of a controlled motivating force.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of thedrill position management system of the present invention.

[0017]FIG. 2 is a view of the operation of the drill position managementsystem of FIG. 1.

[0018]FIG. 3 illustrates a simplified schematic of a system of equipmentused for drilling a hole with a drilling unit attached to a wheeledvehicle in accordance with the prior art.

[0019]FIG. 4 displays a simplified schematic the problem created by asystem of equipment used for drilling a hole with a drilling unitattached to a wheeled vehicle in accordance with the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0020] Referring to FIG. 1, a perspective view of the preferredembodiment of the drill position management unit of the presentinvention is identified generally by the reference numeral 100. Thedrill position management unit 100 includes a frame assembly 102containing means for removably mounting the frame assembly of the drillposition management unit 100 to a vehicle. In the preferred embodimentdisplayed in FIG. 1, the drill position management unit is removablymounted to the bucket 104 of a tractor or other vehicle with a front-endloading assembly. Hereafter, such a vehicle will be generally referencedas an “earth mover”, and the front-end loading assembly, or itsequivalent, will be referenced as a drill system manipulation means, andis intended to refer to a user-controllable device which manipulates thedrilling unit 122 into position for drilling a hole (usually a groundhole).

[0021] Alternative embodiments, which will facilitate attachment of thedrill position management unit 100 to other parts of an earth mover orto other types of vehicle, are explicitly contemplated and are withinthe scope of the present invention. The frame assembly 102 is removablymounted to the bucket 104 of the earth mover in with bolts 106-12 in thepreferred embodiment, but alternative embodiments, which will beattached by means of clamping devices or other means, are explicitlycontemplated and are within the scope of the present invention.

[0022] The frame assembly 102 includes a track means, which in thepreferred embodiment consists of two guide rods 114 & 116 forming thesides of the frame assembly and two collars 118 & 120 that slide freelyalong the two guide rods 114 & 116 and allow for free movement inresponse to an applied force along the length of the sides of the frameassembly 102, to which they are attached. Though the preferredembodiment consists of two sliding collars, alternative embodiments,including those involving only one guide rod or entirely different trackmeans, are contemplated and are within the scope of the currentinvention.

[0023] A drill attachment unit 120 will typically attach rigidly to thecollars 118 & 120 and allows for the removable mounting of a drillingunit 122 by means an attachment device 124. In the preferred embodiment,the attachment device 124 will typically consist of a mechanism forbolting the drilling unit 122 to the drill attachment unit. Alternativeembodiments, however, including those using a clamping or magneticattachment system, are contemplated and are within the scope of thecurrent invention. The drill attachment unit 120, which will typicallybe rigidly attached to the collars 118 & 119, will typically move indirect synchronization to movement of the collars. The drill attachmentunit will typically include a rotatable mounting 126, which, in thepreferred embodiment will allow for free rotation of the drilling unit.Alternative embodiments, however, which will allow for the applicationof force to control the rotation of the rotatable mounting 126, areexplicitly contemplated and fall within the scope of the presentinvention.

[0024] A controllable motivating device 128 also attaches to the frameassembly 102 by means of a pair of struts 130 & 132 and attaches to thedrill attachment unit 120 by means of a piston 133. In the preferredembodiment of the present invention, the controllable motivating device128 is shown as a hydraulic unit. Although a hydraulic unit is shown inthe preferred embodiment, alternative embodiments, including thoseemploying magnetic controllable motivating devices or controllablemotivating devices employing cable tension, are explicitly contemplatedand lie within the scope of the present invention. Through manipulationof the piston, the controllable motivating device 128 can apply force tomove the drill attachment unit 120 along the guide rods 114 & 116through application of force in the desired direction. The controllablemotivating device 128 will typically be connected by means of a controltransmission attachment 134 to a control unit 136. The controltransmission attachment 134 will typically attach to a user interfacesuch as a set of manual controls in the preferred embodiment, but mayattach to any controlling mechanism in alternative embodiments,including a data processing unit such as a computer. The controllablemotivating device 128 also receives power from a power source (notshown) through a power delivery attachment 138.

[0025] Referring now to FIG. 2, a view of the operation of the drillposition management system of FIG. 1 is shown. The operation of the unitwill hereinafter be explained with reference to FIG. 2., and FIG. 3. Asin the prior art, a wheeled vehicle, in this case a simplified schematican earth mover 300, is moved into position near the proposed holelocation 302. In order to perform the actual drilling, the drilling unit122, is aligned in order to place the drill bit 310 directly over theproposed hole location 308, and flush with the ground 312, into whichdrilling is being performed, while the height 305 of the bucket 306 isadjusted by means of lowering or raising the bucket-arm 314 of the earthmover 300.

[0026] Drilling is then commenced by activating the drill motor of thedrilling unit 122. As the drill bit 310 sinks into the ground 312 theoperator will lower the drill drilling unit 122 in order to facilitatecontinued digging. This is accomplished by reducing the height 305 ofthe bucket over the ground. Following this step, the problem of theprior art is eliminated by application of the method and apparatus ofthe invention.

[0027] To compensate for the change in lateral position of the bucketarm, the operator will, in the preferred embodiment, actuate a controlon the control unit 136, typically by pressing a button on the userinterface. This will cause a control signal to be transmitted across thecontrol transmission attachment 134. In alternative embodiments, asensor in the control unit 136 may detect the reduction in the height305 of the bucket over the ground and a data processing unit such as acomputer may automatically cause a control signal to be transmittedacross the control transmission attachment 134.

[0028] When the control signal transmitted across the controltransmission attachment 134 reaches the controllable motivating device128, the controllable motivating device 128 will react to the controlsignal by expanding or retracting the piston 133 in accordance with thesignal provided. This movement of the piston will provide a force thatwill move the drill attachment unit 120 along the guide rods 114 & 116through application of force in the desired direction. This process canthen be repeated as necessary to perfect the position of the drillingunit 122, thereby solving the problem of misalignment seen in the priorart.

[0029] Although not shown in any drawings, an alternative embodiment ofthe present invention may replace the above-described guide rods with alever assembly. In such an alternative embodiment, rather than carryingthe drilling unit 122 along some track assembly as in the preferredembodiment, drilling unit 122 is carried at a distal end of a leverassembly, at the other end of which is attached a user-actuated controlsystem for moving the drilling unit 122 by way of the lever assembly. Itis believed that such a replacement of the linear track carriagearrangement shown as the preferred embodiment would not provide asprecise control or operation, but may still provide most of the benefitsof the preferred embodiment.

[0030] Although the invention has been described with reference tospecific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in alimited sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, aswell as alternative embodiments of the inventions will become apparentto persons skilled in the art upon the reference to the description ofthe invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended -claimswill cover such modifications that fall within the scope of theinvention.

I claim:
 1. A drilling unit position management system comprising aframe assembly with vehicle attachment means for attaching said frameassembly to drill system manipulation means of a vehicle and drillingunit carriage means, said drilling unit carriage means having drillingunit attachment means for attachment of a drilling unit to said drillunit carriage means, said drilling unit carriage means being configuredfor reversible movement relative to said frame assembly, said drillingunit carriage means being attached to actuation means for effecting saidmovement for moving said drilling unit carriage means relative to saidframe assembly and for thereby maintaining said drilling unit inposition relative to said front-end loader assembly for maintaining saiddrilling unit in a desired position relative to material or strata intowhich said drilling unit is to be drilled.
 2. A drill positionmanagement unit, comprising: a frame assembly including mounting meansfor mounting said frame assembly to a vehicle; a track means attached tosaid frame assembly; a movable drill attachment unit, whereupon adrilling unit can be mounted, slidably carried on said track means,whereby said movable drill attachment unit can, responsive to amotivating force, move from a first position relative to said frameassembly to a second position relative to said frame assembly; and acontrollable motivating device adjustably mounted to said frame assemblyand said movable drill attachment unit, and capable of applying saidmotivating force to said movable mounting platform and moving saidmovable drill attachment unit from a first position relative to saidframe assembly to a second position relative to said frame assembly. 3.The drill position management unit of claim 2, wherein said controllablemotivating device comprises a hydraulic unit.
 4. The drill positionmanagement unit of claim 2, further comprising n control unit forcontrolling said controllable motiviating device.
 5. The drill positionmanagement unit of claim 2, wherein said control unit further comprisesa user interface unit.
 6. The drill position management unit of claim 4,wherein said control unit further comprises a data processing unit. 7.The drill position management unit of claim 2, wherein said controllablemotivating device comprises a magnetic unit.
 8. The drill positionmanagement unit of claim 2, wherein said frame assembly comprises abolting unit.
 9. The drill position management unit of claim 2, whereinsaid frame assembly comprises a clamping unit.
 10. The drill positionmanagement unit of claim 2, wherein said track means further comprisesone or more guide rods.
 11. A drill position management unit,comprising: a frame assembly containing means for removably mountingsaid frame assembly to a vehicle; a track means attached to said frameassembly; a movable drill attachment unit, whereupon a drilling unit canbe mounted, slidably carried on said track means, whereby said movabledrill attachment unit can, responsive to a motivating force, move from afirst position relative to said frame assembly to a second positionrelative to said frame assembly; a controllable motivating device,comprising a hydraulic unit, adjustably mounted to said frame assemblyand said movable drill attachment unit, and capable of applying saidmotivating force to said movable mounting platform and moving saidmovable drill attachment unit from a first position relative to saidframe assembly to a second position relative to said frame assembly; anda control unit containing an interface unit for controlling saidcontrollable motivating device.
 12. A method of drill positionmanagement, comprising: removably mounting a frame assembly to avehicle; attaching a track means to said frame assembly; slidablycarrying a movable drill attachment unit, on said track means, wherebysaid movable drill attachment unit can, responsive to a motivatingforce, move from a first position relative to said frame assembly to asecond position relative to said frame assembly; and applying saidmotivating force to said movable drill attachment unit from a firstposition relative to said frame assembly to a second position relativeto said frame assembly through use of a controllable motivating deviceadjustably mounted to said frame assembly and said movable drillattachment unit.
 13. The drill position management method of claim 12,wherein applying said motivating force further comprises applying ahydraulic force.
 14. The drill position management method of claim 12,further comprising controlling said controllable motivating device witha control unit.
 15. The drill position management method of claim 14,wherein controlling said controllable motivating device furthercomprises controlling said controllable motivating device through a userinterface unit.
 16. The drill position management method of claim 12,wherein applying said motivating force further comprises applying amotivating force from a controllable motivating device comprising amagnetic unit.
 18. The drill position management method of claim 12,wherein said attaching step further comprises attaching a frame assemblythrough bolting said frame assembly to said vehicle.
 19. The drillposition management method of claim 12, wherein said attaching stepfurther comprises attaching a frame assembly through clamping said frameassembly to said vehicle.
 20. The drill position management method ofclaim 12, wherein said step of slidably carrying a movable drillattachment unit further comprises along one or more guide rods.
 21. Amethod of drill position management, comprising: removably mounting aframe assembly to a vehicle; attaching a track means to said frameassembly; slidably carrying a movable drill attachment unit, on saidtrack means, whereby said movable drill attachment unit can, responsiveto a motivating force, move from a first position relative to said frameassembly to a second position relative to said frame assembly;controlling the drill position with a control unit containing a userinterface unit; and applying said motivating force, comprising ahydraulic force, to said movable drill attachment unit from a firstposition relative to said frame assembly to a second position relativeto said frame assembly through use of a controllable motivating deviceadjustably mounted to said frame assembly and said movable drillattachment unit.